This Fall Season of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proudly sponsored by NextGrad.

___

New leaders often feel pressure to make their mark quickly, but listening can be the most strategic first move. Dr. Aly Williams, President of Midland University, shares how 25 years at Indiana Wesleyan University and a decade in athletic training prepared her to enter a new community with curiosity. She explains how listening becomes strategy, how vocation shapes institutional distinctiveness, and why strong campus and community relationships require intentional time.

___

What We Cover in This Episode

🔘 What athletic training taught Aly about pressure, decisions, and creativity

🔘 How an institution can intentionally develop future leaders

🔘 Why a new president chose listening before major change

🔘 How personal stories help leaders uncover institutional strengths

🔘 Why mission, vocation, and community sharpen a college’s distinctiveness

___

Episode Highlights

02:29 - Lessons from making decisions on the athletic sidelines

05:21 - How Indiana Wesleyan intentionally developed leaders

08:54 - Learning a campus through several different roles

11:22 - Recognizing the call to leave a familiar institution

13:12 - Why Aly devoted her first year to listening

20:21 - Two practical rules for a productive listening tour

23:09 - Connecting Midland’s success to the Fremont community

25:46 - Turning mission and vocation into meaningful distinction

___

NextGrad helps colleges and universities reach students where they already are, inside the high school itself. With a network of over 2,500 schools across North America, NextGrad puts your institution's message in front of future students every single day. Be the school they remember when it's time to decide.

Nextgrad.com, Where students see you first.

___

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions, your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. 

___

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.